Tale with a Twist
by Gothika Faerie
Summary: Hunchback of Notre Dame but completely twisted and turned. Frollo is a master criminal. Esmeralda is the Minister of Justice's daughter. Phoebus is a womanizing jerk. Fleur is present and is a huge flirt. Clopin is Frollo's friend! Frollo/Esmeralda


Title: Tale with a Twist

Summary: A completely twisted take on Hunchback of Notre Dame where there's a happy ending for Frollo/Esmeralda supporters. Expect much sarcasm, romance, conflict, witty banter, violence, and betrayal as I completely butcher a Disney classic. Frollo/Esmeralda. A little Quasi/Esmeralda.

Genre: Parody/Romance

Rated: T for language, crude humor and suggestive themes

A/N: If there is blatant OOC behavior in this story, please don't gripe. This story is supposed to be deliciously twisted and turned to be anew. I hope you enjoy it.

Characters Old and New

Before I can begin this new, refreshing take on an old classic, a little introduction so that you readers do not get bombarded and overwhelmed by all these twists and turns.

Old Characters

Claude Frollo is not a minister or a priest in this story. Instead, ironically, Frollo is the craftiest criminal in all of Paris and the bane of the Minister of Justice's existence. Like the movie, Frollo is narrow-minded, prejudiced, tenacious, sly, intelligent, calculating, intimidating and passionate. However, he is not overtly religious, cold, ruthless, power-hungry or as people would say the villain in this story but more an anti-hero. His intentions are not always clear whether they are good or bad.

Frollo is also, ironically, on the gypsies' side. After coming to Paris for new 'business clients', he discovered the gypsies and their hiding nest after rescuing a starving, thieving gypsy child from a band of guards. Grateful for his saving, the gypsies allow him to live and work with them.

Clopin and Frollo share a friend/foe relationship instead of full on animosity as there are times Clopin is unsure whether it is really safe to have a real thief in the gypsy clan, making them even more suspicious of criminal behavior. However, at the same time he knows Frollo is useful as Frollo salvages a lot of money and food for them.

Frollo is much younger in this story at about Clopin's age of 32. He is also a self-taught expert fire-eater and often entertains with antics of pyromania. Especially on that day of the festival.

Agnes 'Esmeralda' Chantefleurie is the Minister of Justice's daughter. She was nicknamed Esmeralda due to her exotic emerald eyes. She knows nothing of her mother as she died after Esmeralda was born and often questions her childhood as she looks nothing like her father. Like the movie, Esmeralda is beautiful, defiant, witty, adventurous, headstrong, brave and compassionate. She sympathizes with the gypsies, but not the criminals.

She is drawn to Frollo by his sly, intelligent and sardonic ways but is disgusted by the fact he leads a life of crime. Thus, her feelings for him are very conflicted. Esmeralda is friends with a Ms. Fleur De Lys-de-Gondelaurier whom is engaged to a Phoebus de Chateaupers whom has his eye on Esmeralda herself.

Esmeralda is often suffocated and frustrated by her father's shuttering her up in the palace that she plans almost all the time to sneak out of the palace to explore beautiful Paris and to go on walks with Fleur. She is also very interested in the Festival of Fools and one day, begs her father to allow her to go where she meets a rather dark, handsome strange.

Quasimodo is still the shy, sweet and friendly bell ringer of Notre Dame. Adopted by the Minister of Justice, he leads a shuttered life in the bell tower and longs to be out there in the world. He shares his frustrations and dreams with Esmeralda who also longs to be free in the world as well. He harbors a very strong crush on Esmeralda and is heartbroken to learn she loves another. Nonetheless, he courageously and loyally devotes himself to her, keeping her safe and happy.

He is wary of Frollo at first as he is a criminal but soon grows to be an ally to the master thief. He hates Phoebus for blatantly flirting with Esmeralda despite his recent engagement.

His life goes in so many direction when he followed Esmeralda secretly to the festival.

Phoebus is not exactly the nicest guy around here. After being reluctantly engaged to Fleur, he finds his eyes travelling towards Esmeralda and actually wishes to have her hand instead. He is a womanizing jerk in this story and can be quite brash and clueless at times. Esmeralda does not like his chauvinistic ways and how he is blatantly cheating on Fleur. Phoebus holds deep dislike for Frollo and labels Frollo as the chief reason Esmeralda is not taken with him.

Phoebus is far more devious, ruthless and uncaring as the Captain of the Guard in this story and does not at all care for the gypsies.

Clopin is still the witty, mysterious narrator of this tale. He is master puppeteer as well as king of the gypsies. However, now he is Frollo's ally as well as best friend despite their many arguments. He is wary of Esmeralda as she is the minister's daughter and is perplexed by Frollo's interest in her. Clopin is as usual good-natured, sneaky and energetic in this story. He's just companions with different people now.

Note that the gargoyles are not in this story as Esmeralda is the one that befriends Quasimodo and gives him pep talks instead. Frollo's horse is instead a pet cobra named Lucifer. Djali is also not in this story as Esmeralda is no longer a gypsy and therefore, need not have a goat.

New Characters

Fleur, like the book is an intelligent, spoiled and spiteful socialite. In this story, she is Esmeralda's companion and the two often talk of love and marriage. Fleur is envious of Esmeralda's exotic radiance and lovely voice. Reluctantly engaged to Phoebus, Fleur finds herself falling for Frollo as well and plans to seduce him. She is calculating, selfish and often cold. She also is oblivious to Phoebus' attraction to Esmeralda as she herself is flirting with other men.

Minister Dominic Bourbon is the antagonist of this story. Think an unattractive Frollo whom has no lust for anyone. Dominic is very protective of his daughter but has never at all informed her of what her mother was like as actually Dominic wants to keep her mother secret due to a very dark, lurid happening back in his courting days. He loathes gypsies and wishes they would all will one day be wiped out. He is grasping, cruel, loathsome and merciless. He especially hates Frollo as he has never been able to capture the man on one of his many thieving sprees. However, despite this deeply rooted hatred, he often plans to reform Frollo so that he could aid him in ruling Paris.

Well that's that for the characters, now on with the story!


End file.
